The Water Master Plan for Tarawa, being conducted for the Kiribati Adaptation Project Implementation on of existing water source government Committee for the Management of Water Reserves in Bonriki and Buota was seton as rental to landowners at Bonriki and that includes the local landowners as part of the solution.
Several recommendations follow: Phase II (KAP II) Component 3, Freshwater Resources is required to: Review current water management, protection and monitoring procedures and recommend, as appropriate, additional mechanisms to ensure that the groundwater resources are usable by present and future generations.
This report has found that there are five main threats to the long term viability of Bonriki and Buota water reserves, Tarawa's only current major groundwater sources for reticulated water supply. These are: lack of effective protection of water reserves, despite adequate regulations; ineffective management of water reserves; failure to engage the local landowners and communities in protection and management of water reserves; continued settlement on the water reserves; and inappropriate landuse and vandalism on water reserves. Unless these problems are attacked with determination, future water supplies from these water reserves cannot be guaranteed.
